Blockbuster 3-player trade offer between the Blue Jays and Braves involving two Gold Glove winners
Photo credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Toronto Blue Jays buzz ties Jose Berrios and Anthony Santander to the Atlanta Braves for prospect Conor Essenburg.
A trade proposal floating around online, credited to writer Caleb Kerney, pitches Toronto sending Berrios and Santander to Atlanta for a single two-way prospect.
«This trade proposal solves multiple problems for both teams. For the Braves, it gives the disgruntled Berrios a landing spot where he can shine and provide stability to a rotation that needs it. Anthony Santander could have a bounce-back season, giving the Braves more power. The Blue Jays add a 19-year-old prospect, who isn't even close to being the best in their system. However, Conor Essenburg has an interesting profile. He is listed as an outfielder, but he loves to pitch,» Caleb Kerney
The money is the headline. Berrios is signed through 2028 on a seven-year, $131 million deal, and Santander is on a five-year, $92.5 million contract, basically a combined $223 million commitment to move.
For the Braves, Berrios is the stabilizer. He finished 2025 with a 9-5 record, a 4.17 ERA, 166 innings, and 138 strikeouts, and his first career injured list stint didn't come until late September.
This offer is a clear sign that the Blue Jays need to free up some room on their payroll and this deal would do exactly that.
Jose Berrios and Anthony Santander to Atlanta Braves in trade proposal
From a fan angle, I get why this one makes people talk, it's a clean reset on paper but a messy goodbye emotionally. Atlanta's rotation has chased dependable innings for years, and Berrios has been that guy more often than not.
Santander is the boom piece, even after a rough first year in Toronto. He hit 44 homers with 102 RBIs in 2024, then injuries limited him to 54 games in 2025, when he managed six home runs and hit around .175.
The Blue Jays' return, in this offer, is Connor Essenburg, a 19-year-old drafted by Atlanta in the fifth round in 2025, 157th overall, with a bonus around $1.2 million.
He's a bats-right, throws-left kid with real arm strength, he's been up to 93 mph, and scouts still debate if he's a bat, an arm, or both.
That's the gamble. Toronto would be turning two proven, pricey major leaguers into a long-term lottery ticket, and betting their depth can cover the innings and the power. If nothing else, it's the kind of proposal that tells you exactly how loud the roster crunch conversation has gotten.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 10 | 369 ANSWERS Blockbuster 3-player trade offer between the Blue Jays and Braves involving two Gold Glove winners Would you trade Jose Berrios and Anthony Santander for Conor Essenburg? | ||
| Do it | 207 | 56.1 % |
| No chance | 119 | 32.2 % |
| Add more | 26 | 7 % |
| Depends window | 17 | 4.6 % |
| List of polls | ||